Competition fires up entrepreneurs in fashion, design industry

Stiff competition is inflaming the passion and creativity in Nigeria’s young entrepreneurs who play in the fashion and design industry.

In the days of yore, entrepreneurs in this industry were known as ‘tailors’, but today, the nomenclature is wearing away, with young entrants insisting on being addressed as ‘fashion designers’.

The basic reason is that the industry is now laced with a high level of creativity, with a number of players doing both local and international contracts.

However, the truth is that the industry is welcoming a huge number of new entrants in droves, instilling stiff competition in a sub-sector that was once seen as the reserve of the aging.

The young Temitope Olubanji is the CEO of Temmy Stitches.

Temitope worked as an apprentice for 18 months before starting her own business. She makes majorly female wears, both native and English and is also involved in marketing fabrics.

To avoid losing clients, she works late nights and even completes production sometimes with 24 hours. Temitope also delivers finished clothes and dress to clients’ homes and offices.

“Some clients insist that they collect their materials the next day, despite the fact that they know they brought their materials late. In order to keep them, I do my best to meet up to their expectations and even surprise them,” she told Start-Up Digest.

Peret Israel Danauta is the founder and chief executive officer of Jayteash Seams Limited. Peret has specialised in the production of female dress since 2012.

Like other young entrepreneurs in the industry, she has devised measures to woo customers through pricing. Apart from offering competitive prices, she tries new designs day after day.

“The fashion industry is highly populated, so as a fashion designer with a fashion line, I distinguish myself to remain relevant in the industry and to my clients. Your client needs to trust you before they give you their fabrics and money to make their dress,” she said.

Crystal Omotosimi studied Project Management at the Federal University of Technology Akure but is now the chief executive officer of HC Vestimenta Enterprise. Crystal was a national finalist at the EO Global Student Entrepreneur Awards 2015, and later became the 1st runner-up at the same award in 2016.

His strategy is to first ensure that his relatives, friends and associates patronise him. Hence he believes that this set of people should first appreciate the artistic work of a fashion designer before others. He also takes time to research on new designs and trends in the industry.

“The market for fashion products in Nigeria is wide. It is an opportunity for creative ones and those who can usher a new fashion culture,” he told Start-Up Digest.

Some young entrepreneurs are exploiting the Internet to woo customers. Many of them advertise their products on popular online platforms and retail shops.

Here is where Chukwubuike Nnoli, chief executive of Zubnol Investment Limited, belongs. Chukwubuike does not produce clothes or dress but manufacturers pillows, bed sheets, baby duvets and embroidery products, all of which fall within the fashion and design industry.

His major concentration is retail stores, open markets and outlets, rather than open markets. His products are basically categorised into Exclusive, Dulux and Premium or, in the case of duvets, classified into categories A, B and C.

He is also going into the export market. According to him, he has identified some markets outside Nigeria where can carve his niche.

Miracle Ike is a graduate of Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri, Imo State. Now based in Lagos, she specifically produces clothes for children and sews for high-class members of the society.

“What happens is that you play where you have a niche. I do clothes basically for children. With the way the market is today, you don’t have to be jack-of-al-trade. Secondly, I also target the bourgeoisie and I produce specifically according to their specifications,” Miracle told Start-Up Digest.

“What I also do is to get designs from other countries, not just from the Internet. When I produce them here, people ask me where I get them,” she disclosed.

Uchechukwu Abiakam runs a fashion business, which she started in 1996 as an undergraduate.

In 2015, she found a gold mine, realising that Nigeria did not have a sportswear brand. Uchechukwu and her team developed a Nigerian sportswear brand, which has so far been well received.

By the first half of this year, she had only developed about 100 brands, some of which she manufactured locally in Nigeria.

Today, Uchechukwu owns the Joagh Athletics, featuring classic pieces such as lightweight sweatpants, joggers, leggings, capri pants.

 

ODINAKA ANUDU